Polar Politics - Greenland to Vote on Independence

Greenland is to vote on whether it should gain further independence from Denmark. I think this is positive news. The bulk of the population are local Inuit ("Eskimo" is considered a derogatory slur), and are not of Danish descent.

India should certainly reach out to an independent Greenland, to help its indigenous people gain solid footing in the international community. Their country is also quite rich in natural resources such as oil and natural gas, which India could trade for by offering various development-related deals, as it has done in Africa and CentralAsia.

The independence of Greenland would basically take tiny Denmark out of the running for exploiting the northern polar region - a race which has recently started to heat up, as global warming opens up the previously frozen waters to maritime passage.

India may not be very near to the Arctic Circle of countries, but we do seem to be laying the groundwork for possible future expansion into Antarctica, the last unexplored continent which has a land area greater than USA+Mexico combined. As you know, India is one of the small circle of countries which has an Antarctic station. Its Antarctic program is run by the National Centre for Antarctic and Ocean Research. They have ongoing programmes to train students for future Antarctic missions. Perhaps those seeking a more adventurous and exotic experience might be interested in this, as Antarctica is a very scenic place. By the end of this year, or early next year, India will be shifting from its Maitri station to a newer site in Larsemann Hills, closer to the Russian and Chinese stations. Its greater freshwater supply would help to support a larger facility. I think India should do more research into tensile structures or air-supported construction, etc, as these could one day help support populated settlements in places like the Himalayas or Antarctica. It's also a way for our larger low-level industries like textiles and cabling to move upmarket. (They're also more easily erected or dismantled, in case Mamta Banerjee decides she wants shut down your site.)

Australia claims over 40% of Antarctica as its own land, and gets upset everytime foreign countries announce their intentions to build a base on the continent. The rest of the world doesn't recognize Australia's claims of course, and continue to do as they please.